TWA has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to offer 8 million shares of the company's common stock and up to 1.2 million shares of additional common stock as an underwriters' over- allotment option. The offer is expected to begin this month and be completed next month, TWA said. Noting that the carrier expects to raise about $183 million from the offering, Standard&Poor's placed its triple- 'C' senior secured debt rating on CreditWatch with positive implications.
FAA is looking into an incident Tuesday at Kennedy Airport in which an America West 757 and an American A300 were arriving and departing at the same time on parallel runways and came too close to one another.
Taiwan's Ministry of Justice said employees in key sectors of the transportation industry will be required to undergo drug testing once new regulations, currently being drawn up, are implemented. Beginning in July, flight crew members and control tower employees will have to submit to scheduled tests designed to detect the use of a wide range of drugs, including amphetamines, marijuana, cocaine, heroin and opium, a ministry official said.
A survey of children's summer travel wishes conducted by Sea World/Busch Gardens found, not surprisingly, that most youngsters think a coast-to- coast tour of theme parks would be the best vacation. Twenty-five percent said that would be a "really cool vacation," 21% chose a trip under the ocean, 18% an African safari, 17% a trip into space and 14% mountain climbing in Alaska. The survey polled 433 children eight to 12 years old.
Comair of South Africa will become British Airways' eighth regional franchise partner - the second outside the U.K. and the first outside Europe - with service links at its hub in Johannesburg and four other points in October.
FAA and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said yesterday they have successfully tested a new technology that will better protect passengers and aircraft in case of a runway overrun. The tests involved a cellular cement "soft arrestor" at the Technical Center.
American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has dedicated $1 million to an expanded national consumer outreach program to educate the public about the benefits of using an ASTA travel agent. ASTA directors agreed to the funding at their second quarter board meeting in New Orleans. The cornerstone of the campaign will be ASTA's new partnership with the CNN Airport Network to produce a program called Traveler's Attache. The program has four sponsors - National Car Rental, the TravelPlus Visa card from Bank One, Avis Rent A Car and Visa USA.
TWA called on U.S. policymakers to reach an aviation accord with the U.K. that truly gives U.S. carriers access to U.K. markets and then to consider American's proposed alliance with British Airways. "Level the playing field," TWA Chief Executive Jeffrey Erickson told a Wings Club audience yesterday in New York. "Then, and only then, let's talk about new alliances," he said. He did not take a position on the pact, saying only that whether the alliance is good or bad will hinge on whether it generates a true open skies pact in the U.K.
Kiwi International Airlines has named Robert Wassman director-pricing and yield management. Wassman most recently was manager-market research and route development for the Massachusetts Port Authority, and previously worked at Tower Air and USAir. For 24 years, he held various positions at TWA.
American and Singapore Airlines announced schedules yesterday for their code-sharing service between Chicago and Singapore, which begins July 1. American will fly each night to Los Angeles to connect with a Singapore flight leaving at 2 a.m., stopping at Taipei and arriving in Singapore the second day. On five mornings per week, American will fly to San Francisco for a 3:50 p.m. Singapore flight that stops in Seoul. Return flights will leave Singapore at 5:30 p.m. via Taipei and Los Angeles and at 11:20 a.m. via Seoul and San Francisco.
Ten countries have approved the satellite-based Global Positioning System as a supplemental means of navigation, and approval is pending in six others, according to FAA Administrator David Hinson. The "current practice of degrading the accuracy for non-military users will end within 10 years, making a uniform signal available to all," he said. Offering GPS without charge establishes it as a "de facto global utility."
Midwest Express Airlines reported a 4% increase in May revenue passenger miles to 102.2 million from 98.3 million in May 1995. Capacity rose 9.9% to 161.7 million available seat miles, forcing the load factor down 3.6 points to 63.2%. The carrier boarded 4.6% more passengers for a total of 128,051.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers International Traffic October 1995 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) American 1,205 7.09 2,329 2,805,394 Atlantic 357 7.76 4,106 1,464,434
DOT has granted British Airways and America West authority to code share to nine U.S. cities from Phoenix for two years, and has dismissed their request to code share to other points where they do not have definite service plans. The carriers filed May 7 an application for authority to operate code-sharing flights between the U.K. and 45 U.S. cities. Their agreement is for international traffic on BA to be transferred to America West at Phoenix for flights to interior U.S. cities, beginning July 1, when BA starts operating to Phoenix.
DOT plans to issue its final policy on airport rates and charges June 19. Last September, the department proposed several revisions to the interim policy it adopted early in 1995.
Airbus Industrie said yesterday that Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise has signed a memorandum of understanding for eight A320s and four A321s with options on 12 more of any type from the A320 family. The aircraft are to be delivered beginning in January 1998 to the leasing company, which is jointly owned by Singapore Airlines and Boullioun Aviation Services. Engines have not yet been selected. Airbus said the transaction is its first with a Singapore-based lessor for its single-aisle types.
British tourism officials predict travel to the U.K. in 1996 will break last year's record. Travel was up 8% in the first quarter to 4.6 million visitors, and U.K. officials believe that trend will continue throughout the remainder of this year. The number of travelers from Western Europe is strong - up 11% to about three million. The British Tourist Authority recently went on a trade mission to Japan to promote the U.K. as a vacation and business destination. The government also embarked on a major campaign this year to promote travel to London.
Correction: United estimates it will save $6 million a year by opening flight attendant bases in Tokyo and Frankfurt. An incorrect amount was given in The DAILY June 11.
Sabre is now capable of allowing agents to book electronic tickets on Southwest, which participates in Sabre's Basic Booking Request. Agents booking ticketless travel on Southwest receive a confirmation number and a faxed confirmation.
AlliedSignal Aerospace said its 36-300 auxiliary power unit was selected by Aerostar Leasing for 10 new Airbus A320 aircraft. Aerostar will lease the A320s to Vietnam Airlines, with deliveries beginning this year.
Pemco World Air Services is converting six 727-100s to quick-change configurations for UPS, which plans to place five of the aircraft in charter service on weekends. Pemco will do the design and engineering work, the QC cargo-handling system, passenger configuration and quick- release galleys. The QC configuration will permit the aircraft to be converted from cargo to passenger service, or the reverse, in less than four hours. That time was "one of the parameters we wanted" before attempting the project, a UPS spokesman said.
Continental and Virgin Atlantic, two carriers with a lot to lose if the sweeping alliance between American and British Airways goes forward, spoke out against the deal yesterday and took steps to try to stop it. A Continental delegation headed by Chief Executive Gordon Bethune visited DOT Secretary Federico Pena with a list of conditions the carrier believes must be imposed to protect its ability to compete in critical international markets. Unlike other American rivals, such as United, Northwest and Delta, Continental does not have a major European alliance partner.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers Domestic Traffic October 1995 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) America West 1,411 15.10 792 1,117,740 American 5,422 (8.86) 1,105 5,993,247
United and Telemedic Systems are evaluating a new system that could improve the airline's response to inflight medical emergencies. On one of its 767 aircraft, United will carry a briefcase-sized remote mobile vital signs monitor that electronically records EKG data, blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation and respiration rate. A trained United representative transmits the data via modem to a United flight surgeon on the ground who advises the flight crew. United's medical director, Dr.
An international standard for reporting surface weather observations and terminal forecasts for commercial, general and military aviation and weather information providers will be adopted July 1 by the U.S. The change "moves the country toward a single, worldwide standard," said FAA. The new standard is being implemented by FAA, the National Weather Service (NWS), the Defense Department and aviation organizations. The standard conforms to that of the International Civil Aviation Organization with some modifications for U.S. use.
